Oakland, Calif. – August 3, 2017 – Congresswoman Barbara Lee toured Highland Hospital’s newly designated adult Level 1 Trauma Center to learn more about the services provided to East Bay residents, and to highlight devastating impacts to those services if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

“I am truly pleased with the high-quality service being offered at Highland Hospital and every patient in Oakland, and throughout the East Bay, should be confident that they are receiving the best care,” said Congresswoman Lee. “A majority of the patients seen at Highland Hospital, and throughout the Alameda Health System, are Medi-Cal recipients, and repealing the Affordable Care Act would have had devastating impacts on their access to care, and the quality of care AHS is able to provide.”

“Alameda Health System is Alameda County’s public health care system, and is the heart of the county’s health care safety net, providing comprehensive care to all residents,” said Delvecchio Finley, chief executive officer, AHS. “Our trauma services are an example of essential services we provide for the entire community, including hardworking low income individuals and their families. Our hope is that proposed changes to the ACA will allow us to maintain these critical services and provide vulnerable populations with greater assurance of coverage and access to health when needed.”